Coupling



1,488,266 w. F. MELLEN March' 25 192.4.`

coUPLING Filed Jan. l5. 1925 MINI/ENTOR.

BY L/ M @/7/ Q/-IA TToRNEY.

' manner that the load is cushioned by Patented Mar. 25, i924.

. entrain arenas intente@ El i? lh.

earner WILLIAM F. MELLEN, 0F CRANFORD,.NEW JERSEY, ASSGNOR TO RUBBER! INSULATED METALS CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N.` Y., A. CORPORATION'OF DELAWARE.

CoUPLING.

' Application. lcd January 13, 1923. `Serial No. 612,478.

T0 all whom-imap concern.'

Befit known that I, WILLIAM F. MELLEN, a ctizenrof theUnited States, anda resident of theftownof Cranford, in the county of Unionanel State of New Jersey, havel invented an- Improvement in Couplings, of

driving Vand driven shafts may be expected,

or in which relatively great variations or sudden changesin loadY may occur, as for instancei-nthe case of crushing machinery,y

elevators, or' the. like.-

My invention aims to provide a couplingv whichwill. have a maximum degree of flexi-lj bility and atY the Sametime be enabjled'toV withstand sudden changes in load..l To this end; my coupling is,- constructed in such a` resilient-member such as rubberand in cer# tain instances a relatively rigid mechanical connection is established between the cooperatingA members of the coupling, which connection may act in con]iinction with the rubber cushion.

I have shown in 1 an endv view, par-y members, which may be in the form of circular members having flanges l and 2 and bosses 3 and 4; the shafts being attached to the bosses in any convenient manner. Pivotally mounted upon the flange l are a plurality of teeth 5, 6, 7 and 8, and pivotally mounted upon the flange 2 are a plurality of teeth 9, 10, 11 and 12. These teeth may be conveniently mounted on studs 13 passing through the anges and having their heads countersunk therein. The arrangement is such that when the coupling is assembled the teeth are alternately attached to opposite flanges. Between each tooth and its cooperating tooth on the opposite flange is a push pin 14 which is preferably formed with spherical ends, as shown in the drawings, which spherical ends engage spherical depressions in the opposed faces of the cooperating teeth. These depressions, as will be seen from the drawing, are located nearer tothe axis of rotation. thanthe pivotal points of the teeth and their, distance from the axis of rotation is determined by the load at which .it isdesired: to bring theniinto play,

as will be, evident from the following description. i Y

Separating the teeth from one another and preferably `completely enclosing the push pins are septa of rubber l5, which. are pref,- erably held in place by being vulcanized to the metall of the teeth in the manner familiar to the art. Thesel septa. of rubber act vnot only to. assist in holding the push pinsiii position but alsor cushion the shocks incident tochanges, in the loa-d and transmit a portion of the driving force. The septa are preferably limitediby the opposing faces of the cooperating: teethfof vthe two members Aof the coupling, and do not-extend axially beyond these. faces to, a substantial, degree.

Angular: movement of the shafts. with respect to one another is, thus not impededv by A. the presence of a rubber cushion between the endtooth. and the; face of the flange of the opposite member and a considerable degrec of angular movement of the shaft is; thus freely permitted, the rubber septa being at suchtimes in shear, and the push pins, by4 reason of theiruniversal connection with the teeth,l being. capablev of easily following the movement of the teeth.

In the operation ofl my improved Coupling it will be seen that, when a load` is,V applied to a driven shaft the teeth tend toY turn about their pivots and the rubber septa are thus put into compression. The push pins also tend to transmit a portion of the load but the extent of their participation in the drive, and the time at which they come into p effective action, is determined by their distance from the axis of rotation. It will thus be evident that I have combined in my improved coupling both positive and impositive driving means, and that the positive driving means, i. e., the push pins, are cushioned by the impositive driving means, i. e., the rubber septa to a greater or less extent, depending upon the variation in load.

My improved' coupling offers many advantages from the point of view of manufacture. In assembling the coupling both sets of teeth and the push pins are assembled in their proper relative positions; the rubber septa are inserted in a plastic and' uncured condition, and this assembly is then enclosed in a suitable mould and cured at a proper temperature, during which time the bonding of the rubber and metal takes place.l The metal and rubber ring thus formed is then bolted to the opposing hanged members, the bolt holes of the teeth having been properly located by means of a jig or otherwise. This procedure enables me to use the same fianges for a number of different ring members suited to different characters of load and enables rapid repairs to be made should the same become necessary.

While I have only described one form of my invention, it will be understood that many variations may be made without departing from its spirit, and I thereforedo not intend to confine myself to the precise details shown and described.

What I claim is:

l. A coupling comprising a pair of oppositely disposed members adapted to be carried by the shafts to be coupled, a pivotally mounted tooth on each of said members, a push pin extending between the teeth and a rubber septum interposed therebetween.

2. A coupling comprising axpair of oppof sitely disposed members ada ted to be carried by the shafts to be coup ed, a pivotally mounted tooth on each of said members, said teeth. being provided with depressions in their opposing faces and a push pin seated at each end in one of said depressions.

3. A coupling comprising `a pair of oppo-V sitely disposed members adapted to be carried by the shafts to be coupled, a pivotally mounted tooth on each of said members, a push pin extending between the teeth ana contacting therewith at a point nearer the axis of rotation than the pivotal points of the teeth.

4. A coupling comprising a sitely disposed members adapted to be carpair of opporied by the shafts to be coupled, a pivotally mounted tooth on each of said members, said teeth being Vprovided with depressions on their opposed faces nearer the -aXis of-rota tion thanthe pivotal points of the teeth,ra

push pin seated at each end in one of said depressions anda rubber septum enclosing the push pin.

5. A coupling comprising a pairrof oppositely disposed members adapted to be carried by the shafts'to be coupled, a pivotally mounted tooth on each of said members, a push pinadapted to transmit a thrust from one ,tooth to the other `when a tooth-is rotated about its pivotal point and a rubber septum interposed between-,the teeth and i adapted to hold the push pin in position.

V 6. A coupling comprising a pair of tappo- V sitely disposed members adapted'to'bevcarcal ends seated in said depressions and -a septum ofrubber between the teeth enclosing thepush pin and not extending substantially beyond the opposed faces of the teeth.

7. A coupling comprising a Y pair ofV flanged members each carryinga plurality of teeth pivoted'adjacent their ends which are furthest :removedV from the axis of rota-VV tion, a plurality of push p inseach extending? from .a tooth on one flange to a tooth on an-V other and a plurality of rubber septaV each between a tooth on Vone flange and a toothV on the other and each enclosing and supportinga push pin.

InV testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 9th day of January,11923. i MELLEN. 

